Invader Mel's Mission
by Invader Mel
Summary: An invader comes to Earth, and Zim has some connections with her. She claims to be on an information gathering mission to document the planet, and befriends Dib. And what does this all have to do with the previous Tallest Miyuki?
1. The Arrival of Invader Mel

Chapter One: The Arrival of Invader Mel  
  
A/N: Yes, I did name myself after the Invader Mel in the story. After all, lots of people have their fanfiction name after a fancharacter.  
  
It was a cold Saturday night, when a short little Irken invader heard the hum of a Voot Cruiser. Why would he hear a Voot Cruiser? He was inside of the lower levels of his laboratory, and certainly was not flying about during this time. Gir. It must be. Probably messing with the controls again. That little robot could be so much a pain at times. Sighing deeply in frustration, he set down the wrench he had held, and ordered the computer to take him to the Voot Repair Bay.  
  
"Gir! What are you doing with the...Voot Cruiser...." Gir was nowhere to be found. Looking outside through a window, he saw a green little dog monster sucking on a brainfreezy as he approached the Irken's base of operations. Then what was making that noise?  
  
Hearing an explosion, he turned his head and hastily ran out of the house, forgetting to put his disguise on. In his front yard, he saw a Cruiser had crashed amongst the gnomes. The top opened up, and a fairly tall Irken shakily stood up from the wreckage. She had bluish green eyes that looked purple, thanks to contact lenses that she required to see with after a direct hit with a laser, and wore the following: a red shirt with two horizontal stripes, a pair of black pants and gloves, along with some navy blue boots. Her antennae were pointed, and did not curl. Her backpack was the same as Zim's, except that it was gray and purple. The Irken was approximately a foot taller than him.  
  
"Who are you?"  
  
"My name is Mellannie, but most people call me Mel. Invader Mel. Do you mind if I come inside? It did occur to you that I have crash-landed here, did it not?"  
  
"Yeah, sure - wait a minute! How do I know you're not out to take my mission?"  
  
"Because I am here on official business. The Tallest have granted me permission to carry out some of my research so I can document this planet and its history for the records. Unfortunately, it is prohibited for me to give you any information I collect. Your job is to prove your ability to do information gathering yourself. You will be overestimated if you get hold of any research I do. This mission just happens to bring me to this Earth city, Zim. You see, the household of your very enemy is the best place for me to learn about Earth, for one of their most famous scientists lives there."  
  
"Can you destroy him when you're done?"  
  
"No. It is also forbidden for me to kill or harm any of the creatures that is our enemy. That happens to be your job. Section 5, Article 31, of the Invader's handbook, if you've done your homework, Zim."  
  
"Wait, if you're an invader, then how come you're on a documentation assignment?"  
  
"Well, it's my vacation, and one of the documenters got sick at the last moment, so I volunteered. And here I am now. If you still don't trust me, I have the papers here to prove that it's all legally sound." Invader Mel held some papers forth, and Zim flipped through them.  
  
"I suppose."  
  
"You really don't have much choice in the matter. It is against the law for an invader not to take in a documenter when they're on assignment in the area. After all, I'll need assistance in disguises and fitting in."  
  
"Come in, before we're noticed."  
  
"All right." The two walked in, where Mel analyzed the living room. "Nothing state-of-the-art, but I guess it'll do. Hey, I wonder what's on the tube. Any good shows on this planet?"  
  
"No, not really anything worthwhile. Especially that HORRIBLE monkey!" Mel, not knowing what the Scary/Angry Monkey Show was, raised an eyebrow. Regardless of his comments, she began to flip through the channels. She stopped at a station when she heard the voice of an announcer say, "Today's feature is on a haunted house..." Her eyes widened a great deal, until an ignorant Zim flicked the power off and said,  
  
"See, I told you."  
  
"Hey, I was watching that!"  
  
"You don't want to watch that filth! The Dib-monkey wants to send me in to that show!"  
  
"So what? I personally think you'd look pretty funny cut into a whole bunch of pieces."  
  
"That's it! I can sue you for flagrantly disrespecting an invader!"  
  
"And I can sue you for disrespecting the personal tastes of a higher officer. Literally. Perhaps you were too busy gloating to notice, but I'm taller than you. So give me that remote or suffer dire consequences." She snatched the remote and clicked the television set back on. "Oh, now look at what you've done! The interview's nearly halfway over!"  
  
"Me? What did I do?"  
  
"You turned the TV off, you dummy! Now, shut up!" Zim, who was very irked about not being in charge, sat through an episode of Mysterious Mysteries. When the invader beside him asked his opinion on which spirit haunted what house, or something or other, he'd shrug it off until she threatened to sue him again.  
  
During the night, Zim was glad to finally get a break from Mel in sleep, but soon awoke to the sound of her cackling at something. He got up to see what it was, and found Gir and Mel giggling together at the screen.  
  
"What is it NOW, Mel?!" he screeched as his short temper ran shorter.  
  
"I'm watching this one anime, called Sorcerer Hunters. It's really good!"  
  
"Sorcerer what? Mel, it's one o'clock in the morning! I have to get up for that miserable Earth skool in a few hours!" the tired little Irken whined as he was about to blow his top.  
  
"Oh, come off it, Zim, after all, I'm going too!"  
  
"But -"  
  
"Sorry Zim, but if you don't want me to report you, you'll have to lay off for a while."  
  
"Just please be just a little quieter?"  
  
"Oh, all right, party pooper."  
  
"Fine, sure, whatever." He dragged himself back to bed, and prepared himself for another LONG day with Invader Mel around.  
  
************************************************************************  
  
Morning  
  
Zim woke up at about seven o'clock the next morning, and was delighted to see that Mel had gotten a disguise on her own and headed out for skool already, so said a note she had left. The rest of the morning proceeded as usual, until he arrived at skool, that is. She had come into the classroom late, talking and laughing with Dib. In her disguise, she really looked quite different. She had short, pink hair, human eyes with purple irises, and wore a green shirt with a ghost on it, black pants, and a trench coat. Mel had a nose and ears, and no longer carried any trace of being Irken at all. However, now that she looked human, she wore glasses, because human contacts were just too hard!  
  
"Hello," she began, "My name is Mel. I enjoy watching Mysterious Mysteries, anime, and, well, that's about it! Most of the time I like to spend reading, writing, reading, drawing, reading, and collecting insects. My favorite kind is Danaus Plexippus, better known as the milkweed butterfly, or Monarch. Um...that's all, I suppose." Mel took her seat, which was next to Zim, and she shot him a glare. Her plan was beginning to work out perfectly. 


	2. A Meaty Welcome...Er, Watery Welcome...W...

Chapter Two: A Meaty Welcome...Er, Watery Welcome...Wait, What?  
  
"Dib, Zim and I have some business to take care of. I'll MEAT you in a minute!" they laughed some more, and then she caught up with Zim. In a frantic whisper, she exclaimed, "What are you DOING, Zim? You'll ruin everything!"  
  
"I just have a little present to give you as a welcome to the planet that will soon be mine." From behind, he drew out a squirt gun.  
  
"What is that?"  
  
"Your present." He squirted her in the face, causing great pain for her. Mel screamed out, and Dib came over to see what the matter was.  
  
"Zim!" he called out, "What is that stuff, Zim?! Acid?!"  
  
"Nope. Just some of your normal, typical Earth water."  
  
"Water? Then that means she's a, a, a -"  
  
"Yes, Dib, I'm an alien. Just like he is." She collapsed, and he gaped at her. Once again, he'd been fooled. (You'd think by now he'd catch on a little.)  
  
"I'd better get her to my laboratory before she dies. I think I can help her."  
  
"Wait, I'm going with you. I want to know why she's here."  
  
"Not a chance, Dib-monkey."  
  
"No...Zim...let him come...or I'll report you." The two carried her into a bathroom stall, where Zim activated a device to take them to his base. In the process, he accidentally dropped Mel on Dib's foot, causing him to rebuke the alien in a most abrasive manner. After all this, he stepped on Zim's foot, but just when they were about to start a full-out fistfight, they found themselves in his lab.  
  
Zim wiped her face with a dry cloth, while Dib looked at all the equipment there was to be seen. "The only reason you're here, filthy human, is to make sure that Mel doesn't die! The Tallest would kill me for sure!"  
  
"No, the reason I'm here is because she wants me here."  
  
"And the reason she wants you here is to help keep her alive!"  
  
"How would you know?"  
  
"Because...I just know."  
  
"I don't believe you."  
  
"I know you don't." There was a long pause as they heard the labored breathing of Mel with the aid of several advanced tools.  
  
"I just can't believe it...I really thought she was into the paranormal...she told me she was fascinated with aliens, and intrigued by ghosts. I didn't know she was on your side...."  
  
"On my side? You joke, do you not?"  
  
"No. Isn't she?"  
  
"Of course not! She's staying with me, but she's the most annoying little pest I've ever met. I can't see why she's even an invader!"  
  
"Actually, I found her quite likeable."  
  
"Well, she's okay, but when she's laughing her head off at some...anime...at one o'clock in the morning, she's not so enjoyable then. And that whole thing with the remote was horrible..." Dib cocked an eyebrow. "Well, last night, she was flipping through the channels, and stopped at that stupid show you like so much, when -"  
  
"You mean Mysterious Mysteries?"  
  
"Yes, yes, whatever it's called. She turned to that, then blew up at me when I turned the television off. I can't argue with her tastes, either, because she's my superior..." Zim emphasized the word 'superior' with utter revulsion.  
  
"You mean...she really watches it?"  
  
"Yes. I still can't understand why she believes in all those stupid things, anyway. She's supposed to be a civilized Irken, for the love of Irk!"  
  
"Then she wasn't lying? She was just telling me the truth?"  
  
"I suppose so. Now, be gone with you."  
  
"Mel's not even conscious yet!"  
  
"Oh, yes, I forgot about her."  
  
"Real great friend."  
  
"Who says I'm her friend? Just because I'm ordered to take her in, doesn't mean she's my friend. I don't even like the annoying little worm."  
  
"Zim?" It was Mel. She was awake, and had heard. "I'm just a...a worm? An annoying little worm? Not a friend or acquaintance of any kind? I'm sorry to have bothered you. I'll go pack my bags." She fled up to her room, crying.  
  
"Jerk."  
  
"Why are you suddenly involved, stinkbeast human?"  
  
"Because the girl you just insulted has some problem, and needs sensitivity. Not someone like YOU."  
  
"Hey, she was being a jerk to me!"  
  
"And you think that gives you the right to try to kill her with water, and then insult her?"  
  
"I wasn't trying to kill her! I just wanted to play a prank on her!"  
  
"Just stay away from her."  
  
"She likes pranks! Whenever we were in skool, she'd always play jokes on me, and I'd play jokes on her! It was a game! She liked it!" Dib ran after the new invader and stopped her.  
  
"What's wrong?" Silence. "Mel, what's wrong with you? Why won't you answer me? Invader Mel?" Calling her by her title got her attention. She uttered one word:  
  
"Miyuki?" 


	3. My Leader, My Friend

Chapter Three: My Leader, My Friend  
  
Mel fainted promptly. Dib called Zim's attention, and the two tried to revive her without dumping water over her. "What happened?"  
  
"I don't know. I just asked what was wrong, said 'Invader Mel,' and she said Miyuki, and then fainted."  
  
"Miyuki? Are you sure?"  
  
"Yes. What was she talking about?"  
  
"Miyuki was the name of the last Tallest of Irk until he died in an accident."  
  
"Why would she ask for him, then?"  
  
"Well, Miyuki was her friend. He helped her get on her feet after Operation Forthcoming Fatality II. That was before he was named Tallest. Poor girl. During Operation Forthcoming Fatality II she became ill. It was because of Miyuki she survived. Right after the first plans were made for Operation Impending Doom I, he was killed. So, the current Tallest decided to complete the project, and now Operation Impending Doom II has commenced. I was only at the age of a teenager on scale with your human system during the time of Operation Forthcoming Fatality II, and during the first one I was a kid. The Tallest then was Tallest Midori."  
  
"What about Mel? Why would she suddenly remember Miyuki when I called her Invader Mel?"  
  
"He always called her that even before she completed training as an invader. It gave her a lot of confidence, and helped speed up her recovery. She always called him Tallest Miyuki before he became Tallest, too, because he was Second Tallest, meaning that if anything were to happen to the Tallest Midori, as it did, he'd take his place. Kind of like a vice- president. Normally it would be against the law to call anyone the Tallest except the Tallest, but since he was Second Tallest, it was allowed.  
  
"It was an interesting friendship, Second Tallest Miyuki and almost- Invader Mel. Though she's fairly tall, she wasn't anything compared with him. He was at least three or four times her size."  
  
"How do you know all this?"  
  
"I knew her. Miyuki treated me with respect, to some degree. Sure, he made humiliating jokes once in a while, but it was all in fun. He respected me because I was a friend of Mel's. As he always said, 'my friend's friend is my friend.'"  
  
"You mean I'm your friend?"  
  
"What?"  
  
"I'm Mel's friend. Didn't you notice?"  
  
"Yes, I guess, but this is different!"  
  
"How? Do you not trust her judgment in choosing a friend?"  
  
"I'm so worried about her. I think she was hallucinating that you were Miyuki. You can understand that, right? You calling her Invader Mel, asking her if she was okay, and being a friend."  
  
"What should we do?"  
  
"I don't know. I just pray that she comes out of it, or she might spend the rest of her life living in a dream world, like Miyuki's alive. Sure, she'd just be with you, but she'd call you Miyuki, think she was on Irk, and that everything was okay. It's a psychological problem, but I don't know how to deal with that. For the meantime, though, I think you should go along with it."  
  
"You mean, I should let her think I'm Miyuki?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
"I don't know anything about him, though. She'll know I'm not him."  
  
"That could be bad. Let me teach you the basics, then give you a book to read about him and his life. This is all for her own good, do you understand? She is not to find out. Do whatever you have to, no matter how extreme, or she might go insane. I mean that quite seriously."  
  
"Start teaching me." 


	4. Dib as Miyuki, Zim as...um...Zim

Chapter Three: Dib as Miyuki, Zim as...um...Zim  
  
"Okay. The first thing you need to know is Miyuki's family. He has a mother named Myu, a father named Ryu, and a sister named Mei. He also had a brother that died, called Hyu. Don't talk about him, though. And also..." the session continued for a few more hours, until they saw Mel up.  
  
"Ohayou, Invader Zim, ohayou, Tallest Miyuki!"  
  
"Good morning, Invader Mel. How are things?"  
  
"Oh, just wonderful! Wait...what am I doing in these weird clothes? Invader Zim, could you go and get me my clothing trunk? Tallest Miyuki, I'd like for you to pick out which outfit of my wardrobe would look best on me today."  
  
"Sure." Zim dragged in a clothing trunk, and Mel neatly laid out the three choices she'd selected: A green dress with long blue pants, a blue striped shirt with black pants, and a red shirt with two horizontal stripes and black pants. With the green dress was a blue windbreaker, with the blue shirt a purple windbreaker, and with the red shirt was a burgundy windbreaker. He chose the outfit with the blue shirt, and she exclaimed that it was a wonderful choice. Within minutes she was out, and no longer had her human disguise on. Dib hadn't ever seen her without it, and if he hadn't known it was she, he wouldn't have recognized her at all.  
  
Since the clothes had been purchased while she was in her Irken form, he figured that they probably looked better on her that way anyway. She twirled around a bit, showing the two of them how she looked. They admired her, especially Zim. Mel reminded him of his old girlfriend back on Irk. The two looked like they could've been twins. Zim mused about this, but then shook it off. It had to be mere coincidence. If only he could remember her first name. Taline was her last name, he knew that.  
  
"Tallest Miyuki...thank you so much."  
  
"For what, Invader Mel?"  
  
"For everything. For being a friend. Tallest Miyuki?"  
  
"Yes?"  
  
"Thank you for saving my life. I owe my happiness and my life to you. I suppose I shouldn't draw this out long - Tallest Miyuki, I love you. Do you love me?"  
  
"I...I don't know." Dib had no idea how to respond. "I guess I do love you. But I'm not Tallest Miyuki."  
  
"What...?" She fell backward, passing out.  
  
"Nice move, pointy hair," Zim said sarcastically.  
  
"Shut up, Zim. What was I supposed to say? She'll have to come out of this sometime, and I can't let her think that Tallest Miyuki loves her, when I have no idea. I can't lie to her."  
  
"Looks like she's already lying. On the ground, at least."  
  
"This isn't a time for jokes, Zim. We have to see why this is happening. We'll try hypnosis." Zim picked her up and set her on the couch next to Dib. He then sat next to her. "Invader Mel? Invader Mel? Don't wake up. Just tell me what traumatized you."  
  
"That's no way to do it, pathetic human!" Zim looked at Mel for a second. With her eyes closed, he could place a name on his old girlfriend. Mel. Mel Taline. This was she. With a much softer, sadder voice, he said, "Mel?" Her eyes opened in a blank stare. "Invader Mel, I think I love you." Just as he was about to kiss her, Dib stopped him.  
  
"Hey! You're supposed to find out what's wrong, not romance my friend!"  
  
"I'm getting to that part, I'm getting to it!"  
  
"Now, Zim."  
  
"Oh, okay. Mel, why do you mourn the death of Tallest Miyuki so much? What has gone undone?"  
  
"I wanted to ask him to marry me. Then he got killed. I never got to know what he'd reply." Mel came out of her trance.  
  
"I bet you killed Miyuki, Zim. That's just the kind of sick thing you'd do!"  
  
"Me? I swear, I never killed him. I swear, I didn't do it. I didn't! Why would I kill the one she loves?!"  
  
"So, Zim," Dib began, "That sounds like a motive right there. You love her, right? Maybe you figured that if he were out of the way, you'd gain Mel's affection."  
  
"No! I swear! It was an accident! I'm so sorry, Mel! I was just trying to - you don't believe me, do you?"  
  
"Of course not, Zim. That's just the kind of story you'd make up."  
  
"Tallest Miyuki? Why are you fighting with Zim? You two always got along so well together..."  
  
"He's a murderer. He plans to kill me. Please, Invader Mel, if there is anything you need to tell me before the day of my death, just as a precaution, what would it be?"  
  
"Miyuki...don't die. I love you, and...I want to marry you. Do you accept?"  
  
"Yes." They kissed, but as Mel's mind went back to normal, she saw whom she was really kissing.  
  
"Yech! Dib, what on Irk are you doing?!" She jumped back a few feet. The events of the day quickly erased themselves out of existence. The invader looked herself over and saw that she was out of her human disguise. A high-pitched yelp escaped from her as she covered her face from him.  
  
"It's okay...I know you're an Irken."  
  
"You do? How?"  
  
"Yes. Here. Let me help you up." Dib took her hand and assisted her in standing.  
  
"Why did you kiss me?"  
  
"I wanted to let you know that Miyuki loves you. He must, after everything he did for you."  
  
"Miyuki? How do you know about Miyuki?"  
  
"Zim told me. You were unconscious, and when you awoke, you thought you were back on Irk, before Miyuki died. You thought I was Miyuki. You told me you loved me, thinking I was Miyuki, and I figured I had to agree to your proposal in order to get you back to normal. But I think I know someone who really does love you."  
  
"Who? Zim?"  
  
"Yes. Zim. But he also killed Miyuki."  
  
"I know. I saw it. For years I couldn't forgive him. I cringed at his sight. But it was an accident. I know that. It's only now I can accept it."  
  
"You accept Tallest Miyuki's death?"  
  
"Yes. But thank you, so much. It sounds like you went through a lot, though I can't remember any of it. I know Zim loves me, but now the question is, do I love him?"  
  
"Make sure your decision isn't too hasty. Where will you go from here?"  
  
"Well, either way I'll be going back to Irk. After all, coming here was just because before Tallest Miyuki died, he told me to go to a planet named Earth. It didn't appear on any maps until Operation Impending Doom II. I couldn't exactly book a space flight to such an obscure planet, so I traveled here in my Voot. But I've crash-landed. I don't know how I'll get back..."  
  
"You can use my Cruiser," Zim volunteered.  
  
"Thank you, Zim. And thank you also, Dib. The both of you are so important to me. Try not to kill each other. It's nice to see my old friend doing so well and my new friend being so happy. I remember that the first time I encountered you, Dib, I sensed sorrow, but now happiness. When I met Zim again, I remember he was angry, frustrated, and now he is also happy. It is nice to know I've made a positive impact upon your lives."  
  
"Invader Mel," Dib began, "Goodbye."  
  
"Goodbye, Invader Mel," Zim chimed in.  
  
"Who said anything about you staying?"  
  
"I have a mission here on Earth."  
  
"The Tallest don't care about that anymore. They made a change in plans. Come on. Enjoy life while you have it." She extended her hand, and he took it. "What about you Dib? Are you staying here or are you coming?"  
  
"I want to go...but my family's here, and I..."  
  
"Just tell them you're taking a little vacation. We all need a vacation every once in a while, don't we?"  
  
"Okay. I'll be right back."  
  
"Just call from here. It'll be fine, I'm sure." Mel handed Dib her communications watch, and he left a message for his family.  
  
"Um...Dad, Gaz, goodbye. I'm going to be gone for a while. I'm going with a couple aliens to another planet...um...I hope we leave the robot behind. Well, bye! Greetings from Mars! I have to go, Invader Mel is waiting! Bye!" He clicked the watch off after sending it, and turned to his friend and his enemy.  
  
"Let's get our things packed, shall we?" Mel suggested as she led the two others to the Voot Runner. When they were through, Dib saw the two Irkens holding hands and looking adoringly at each other.  
  
"Looks like this time you're the one who's jelly, Dib!"  
  
"One, it's jealous, and two, I'm not. I'm just a little lonely because -"  
  
Mel interjected, "Oh, come off it, I'm sure you'll meet an Irken girl you'll like just as much as me or more - Paranormal Investigator Dib." He grinned a grin as wide as the Mississippi, and knew what it must have felt like for her when Miyuki had first called her Invader Mel. Knowing your dreams were in sight with the encouragement of pursuing them gave a surge of confidence that could pull anybody out of a slump. Including him. 


	5. Gravestones

Chapter Four: Gravestones  
  
Clouds were gathering over the Irken sky. A clap of thunder resounded, and Mel swore in Irken. Not another one. Not now. When she'd come back to Irk after a couple years of being gone, the atmosphere had been polluted more. It rained now, normal Earth water, which just as well might've been poison. Normally, the air would be breathable for human beings, but the Irken atmosphere in collision with increasingly heavy rainstorms made it poisonous to human beings, and even to Irkens who had been away long enough to not go through the slow process of adaptation.  
  
Had she not been in an atmospherically controlled room after a certain amount of time, she, too, would have suffocated. She laid down some flowers on the graves of her two best friends - Zim and Dib. Silently she cursed those two fools running the planet, the current Tallest, for if she were to do so aloud, she'd get caught and punished for sure. They had allowed special shipments of snacks to come into the planet, but the nature of the chips, as they were, released certain chemicals in the air to create rain clouds. Great. Potato chip poisoning. Her two best friends died because of some stupid potato chips.  
  
Tears. They would not relent now. If only she hadn't told them to wait outside the hospital for her while she visited some old friends that were sick. That way they wouldn't have suffocated. Since their deaths, she was confined to the hospital until they made adjustments to the way her lungs functioned. She had wanted badly to go to them and kiss their cheeks and whisper her last goodbyes...and always the thought came back to haunt her: 'I should have left it be.'  
  
Mel thought back to that day when she had asked Zim to go, but he stood up for his mission, which she had known was false. But he hadn't. And Dib. He wanted to stay for his family. She had told him to take a vacation. Some vacation. It had been years now. Today was a special day for her to visit. It was Dib's birthday. How old would he be now? Oh, yes, nineteen. Seven years had passed. He'd almost reached his thirteenth birthday when it had happened. Almost.  
  
Every year, on both Zim's birthday and Dib's, she would put flowers on their graves, think to herself, talk to them, and sing happy birthday to whoever had the birthday. On scale, Zim would probably be in his thirties. But he had never told her his exact age. Just been really vague. He had just said his early to mid twenties, put on scale with the average human's lifespan.  
  
She wanted so much to decapitate Red and Purple for ordering the snacks in that ended up killing her friends. Mel read the gravestones aloud: "Dib Membrane - Born on Earth in 2058, died in 2070. Zim Halik - Born on Irk in 5330, died in 5630." One part she had smudged off long ago. Underneath the writing were two words - status: short. She and Zim were engaged at the time, to be married in a year - six years ago, now. Moving back here had been a bad idea. Maybe there wasn't anything for her on Earth without Zim or Dib, but certainly there wasn't anything for her here, except for the gravestones, mere shadows of formerly great memories.  
  
Invader Mel knew that no matter where she was their spirits would always be with her, but she felt a connection with the site. Even though so much anger stirred inside of her, and all the writing that was on the gravestones themselves were the dates and the names, she felt as if she were almost abandoning them by leaving. She knew that was silly, but could not leave the planet nonetheless. The real memory of them was on Earth. Mel knew that. Dib's room, Zim's house...everything was back there. Nothing was here. Nothing but these lousy, poorly shaped rocks that said they were buried below.  
  
Zal, one of her friends, walked up from behind. "You'd better get moving. There's a storm about to hit."  
  
"I don't care. I don't care if I die out here, I'm not leaving."  
  
"Stop talking like that. Get up. It's storm season, too."  
  
"It's also Dib's birthday. He's nineteen today."  
  
"Oh...I'm so sorry. But still, staying out in the rain won't do any good. Why don't you come and celebrate it with me?"  
  
"I don't celebrate their birthdays. I talk to them. I only feel alone enough to talk to them out here."  
  
"Most of the crops are dying now, because of the rain. Soon this planet won't even be habitable."  
  
"Sure it will. Just not by Irkens. And changing the subject will do no good. I am intent on staying here for the remainder of the day."  
  
"You can't!"  
  
"Yes I can! Please! It's because of our lousy leaders that we're in this situation, so we can't expect them to get us out of it."  
  
"Mel! Shut your mouth! You know with talk like that you're liable to be killed!"  
  
"Nothing matters now. I don't even have a life, really. I remember Miyuki."  
  
"You mean Tallest Miyuki?"  
  
"Yes. If he were still alive, none of this would be happening."  
  
"Perhaps not. But if he were still alive, Zim wouldn't have gone to Earth; you wouldn't have met him, meaning you probably wouldn't have seen Dib either. Everything has a reason. You would have gone insane if it weren't for them, and if you were insane now, I wouldn't have recovered in that hospital. I'd be dead. I wouldn't have started a family, and that would start a whole other chain of events never happening. Even if it was for a short while, your seeing them was positive, wasn't it?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
"Come on. Let's go home."  
  
"All right. Just a minute, though." Mel bent down and hugged the gravestones, tears falling loosely. "Goodbye, Zim, my Invader Zim. Goodbye, Dib, Paranormal Investigator Dib. I hope we meet sometime in the future."  
  
"I'm sure we will," she heard the voice in her head, but it wasn't her own. An echoing of their voices remained in her mind, as the wind pulled tightly at her dress and windbreaker. She pulled it closer to her, as the wind chilled to an icy cold.  
  
"Invader Mel, get out of there!" Zal screamed out against the wind as it ripped at her side. A heavy gale tore Mel's windbreaker off, but she stood her ground. A downpour began, and she refused to move. The pain ate at her from the inside out, but she remained. She drew in breaths of the rain through her mouth, and despite the intense stinging, it was truly relaxing. 'Blast it all, why did I have to be born Irken? Why can't I enjoy the cool, calming of the rain without being killed half to death?'  
  
Mel wanted to crawl into the ground and die beside Zim. Existence was like a pointless struggle to win a meaningless prize. At least, it was that way for an Irken like her in her situation. The rain became so unbearable she couldn't stand. Instead, she slumped up against Zim's grave and thought about all the people who had made a positive influence on her: Miyuki, Zim, Dib, Zal. No one else? No one. So desperately she wanted to fall asleep there, but instead trudged home in the rain, without a windbreaker, umbrella, or anything else.  
  
She walked past many houses, but only one had a kid looking out the window. The little girl shouted, "Hey, look! There's a lady Irken outside!"  
  
"Outside? That's impossible!" her mother scolded her for making up such a story, but eventually looked anyway. "My goodness! What on Irk is she doing out there?" They allowed her to come inside, and after catching her breath, she explained what had happened.  
  
"You see, I just love my friends too much to leave them. I just can't do it. I just can't."  
  
"Here. Sit down. We've got the heat turned up all the way now. Is that better?"  
  
"Yes, very. Thank you so much for your kindness. I'm thinking about going back to Earth though. It rains there, too. I like rain. It's just too bad I can't stay in it for too long without killing myself."  
  
"Are you all right?"  
  
"Yes. I'm okay. It's interesting, though. I almost asked Miyuki to marry me, but time ran out, and he died before I asked. I was going to ask Zim to marry me, and I knew he wanted to marry me, but he didn't know my reply right up until the time he died. I guess it'll just be my mission to live and exist, and hopefully make a difference in someone's life. Invading is pointless in my opinion. I am a former invader myself. I hate it. My first mission failed because I became emotionally attached to the people there. My last mission was almost a success and almost a failure. I failed in my original goal. However, I succeeded in learning about human emotion. Some humans can be the nicest you've ever known, others are the cruelest creatures imaginable. Same with Irkens. It just depends.  
  
"I wish Miyuki were alive...I bet he'd know what I meant...well, the sun is shining once more, and I think I'll be on my way now. Thanks for your hospitality. Goodbye."  
  
"Wait!" The young girl screamed and ran after her. "You forgot this." Clasped in the little girl's hands was a golden locket with a picture of the late Tallest Miyuki inside. She had another on for Zim, and yet another for Dib, but this one was extra special to her. It reminded her of how everything had started, bringing her memory of the three all at once.  
  
"Why thank you, little girl. What's your name?"  
  
"Mei. Why?"  
  
"Mei, do you know what I'm going to do with this now?"  
  
"No. What?"  
  
"I'm going to kiss it, put it in my knapsack here, and then I'm going to do some thing even more amazing. You know what that is?"  
  
"No."  
  
"I'm going to fulfill each of my old friend's purposes. I'm going to write a book to try to teach people that they have to show consideration for people whether they're short or tall. That one's for Miyuki. Then, I'm going to prove how ignorant human beings are. That one's for Zim. And lastly, I'm going to prove that aliens do exist, because on Earth, they don't believe so. For Dib, I'm going to prove he's not crazy. And for myself, I will have the satisfaction of knowing that I stuck by my loved ones through life and through death. Their spirits know what I am doing. I ought to be off now. Goodbye, Mei."  
  
"Goodbye, Invader Mel!" the form of Mel disappeared right before her into thin air. In confusion, the little girl Mei ran back indoors.  
  
************************************************************************  
  
One Year Later  
  
Zal walked along the rows of gravestones, in search of a particular couple of them. She could not find any remains of the graves that belonged to Zim and Dib. Startling enough, she came across a grave labeled 'Invader Mel - Born on Earth in 2058, Died in 2070. Born on Irk in 5330, died in 5630. status: Tallest Miyuki's wife.' What could possibly have occurred over one year that would restore Zim, Dib, and Miyuki? Silently she contemplated over this, then walked away without another word. After all, people got locked away for telling stories like that. She wondered about her friend, Invader Mel, and then another thought crossed her mind - maybe it did all happen. But perhaps in just another version of reality.  
  
************************************************************************  
  
Back on Earth  
  
Dib and Zim held a silent funeral, along with Tallest Miyuki of Irk, for the loss of Invader Mel Taline. "Dib? Isn't that your name?" he beckoned.  
  
"Yes. Why?"  
  
"Mel just wanted to say thanks for saving her from insanity."  
  
"What? I didn't do anything. Zim's the one who pretended to be you when she was delusional and gave her the kiss that snapped her out of it."  
  
"No. She doesn't mean that. She means that you were a good friend. After all, you did really like her, and had a hard time not speaking out against us. Thanks."  
  
"You're welcome, I guess."  
  
"My Tallest, is she really...dead?" Zim inquired.  
  
"No. She just wants you two to fulfill your purposes without disruption in your lives. That's what she told me, and I trust her. Do you trust me?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
"Tallest Miyuki, will we ever see her again?"  
  
"I have a feeling we will. Oh, and she wanted me to give you guys these." Tallest Miyuki handed out the lockets, and they realized how much she cared for them. And they knew that so long as they had her with them in their hearts, but far away on a physical level, their lives would continue as if she hadn't been there at all, but their hearts would be touched all the same. It was at this point that Invader Mel knew she had completed her mission.  
  
  
  
Okay, I know it's kind of sad, but at least no one died this time. People die in my stories for some reason. I write dead people. I know that was lame. Well, I've started a sequel, and it should be done in a couple days. It'll take another day or two after that for me to get it up, though. Wowie, this is a long endnote. Well, I'll hear from you soon, hopefully. Wait, who am I talking to? Ahhh! The giant onion dip is attacking me! O_o 


End file.
